New York state puts an end to certain wildlife killing contests through new legislation

Pantheraman

Pantheraman

Well-Known Member
"Recently passed legislation will end certain hunting contests in New York state.

Friday, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation ending wildlife killing contests for coyotes, foxes, bobcats, squirrels, raccoons, crows and other species in New York. The new law prohibits competitive events during which contestants compete to kill the most, the heaviest and the smallest animals for cash and prizes.


The new law makes it unlawful for an individual to organize, sponsor, conduct, promote or participate in any contest, competition, tournament or derby with the objective of taking or hunting wildlife for prizes, inducement or entertainment. Any wildlife killed during these activities become the property of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation."

https://cnycentral.com/news/local/n...life-killing-contests-through-new-legislation
 
Not fully informed here but this doesn't seem necessarily like good news. How is a hunting contest different from a fishing contest, which I imagine few oppose? Especially not nice if invasive species are also included in the bill.
 
From the sponsor's summary of the bill:

"This legislation amends New York Environmental Conservation Law to make
it unlawful for any person to organize, sponsor, conduct, promote, or
participate in any contest, competition, tournament, or derby with the
objective of taking or hunting wildlife for prizes or other inducement,
or for entertainment. The legislation is narrowly crafted to prohibit
only these killing contests for prizes or other inducement, or for
entertainment; it would not affect the continued lawful, regulated hunt-
ing of furbearer or game species, fishing contests and derbies, or dog
field trials. Its sole objective is to prohibit inhumane, unsporting,
and wasteful wildlife killing contests, which are opposed by a growing
number of wildlife management professionals and state wildlife commis-
sions and agencies including Vermont, Arizona, and Massachusetts. To
date, the states of California, Vermont, Massachusetts, Colorado, New
Mexico, Washington and Arizona have banned killing contests."

White-tailed deer, bears, and turkeys are specifically excluded, sadly.

The bill and the summary: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S4099
 
birdsandbats said:
Not fully informed here but this doesn't seem necessarily like good news. How is a hunting contest different from a fishing contest, which I imagine few oppose? Especially not nice if invasive species are also included in the bill.
Click to expand...

Invasive species are not included in the bill, it's geared towards predators such as coyotes. Fishing contests are different from hunting contests because, in a fishing contest, some kind of catch and release is involved. With predator-killing contests, on the other hand, it's not uncommon to see the dead bodies of so many coyotes, bobcats, foxes, etc in pickup trucks or just on the ground.

In other words, predator-killing contests have a great ability to create a black eye towards hunting which in itself is an important tool in wildlife management for species like deer and elk. Or if you want, it's an example of hunters being their own worst enemies. Even a good number of hunters oppose these contests.
 
Pantheraman said:
Invasive species are not included in the bill, it's geared towards predators such as coyotes. Fishing contests are different from hunting contests because, in a fishing contest, some kind of catch and release is involved. With predator-killing contests, on the other hand, it's not uncommon to see the dead bodies of so many coyotes, bobcats, foxes, etc in pickup trucks or just on the ground.

In other words, predator-killing contests have a great ability to create a black eye towards hunting which in itself is an important tool in wildlife management for species like deer and elk. Or if you want, it's an example of hunters being their own worst enemies. Even a good number of hunters oppose these contests.
Click to expand...

Fish also are not included in the definition of "wildlife" for this.
 
TinoPup said:
From the sponsor's summary of the bill:

"This legislation amends New York Environmental Conservation Law to make
it unlawful for any person to organize, sponsor, conduct, promote, or
participate in any contest, competition, tournament, or derby with the
objective of taking or hunting wildlife for prizes or other inducement,
or for entertainment. The legislation is narrowly crafted to prohibit
only these killing contests for prizes or other inducement, or for
entertainment; it would not affect the continued lawful, regulated hunt-
ing of furbearer or game species, fishing contests and derbies, or dog
field trials. Its sole objective is to prohibit inhumane, unsporting,
and wasteful wildlife killing contests, which are opposed by a growing
number of wildlife management professionals and state wildlife commis-
sions and agencies including Vermont, Arizona, and Massachusetts. To
date, the states of California, Vermont, Massachusetts, Colorado, New
Mexico, Washington and Arizona have banned killing contests."

White-tailed deer, bears, and turkeys are specifically excluded, sadly.

The bill and the summary: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S4099
Click to expand...
White-tailed Deer being excluded from this bill is a good thing. They're way overpopulated anywhere wolves aren't.
 
birdsandbats said:
White-tailed Deer being excluded from this bill is a good thing. They're way overpopulated anywhere wolves aren't.
Click to expand...

I disagree. Overpopulation has nothing to do with it. This law doesn't stop hunting, just hunting for prizes.
 
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